16th Jul, 2021 12:00

Islamic & Indian Paintings: The Dexter Collection Part II

 
  Lot 16
 

AN ILLUSTRATION TO A BHAGAVATA PURANA SERIES: THE CELEBRATION OF LORD KRISHNA'S BIRTH
Provincial Mughal School, possibly Bikaner, Rajasthan, North-Western India, 18th century and later

AN ILLUSTRATION TO A BHAGAVATA PURANA SERIES: THE CELEBRATION OF LORD KRISHNA'S BIRTH
Provincial Mughal School, possibly Bikaner, Rajasthan, North-Western India, 18th century and later

Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper laid on thick cardboard, the large vertical composition depicting a festive occasion, the preparation of the celebration of Lord Krishna's birth, Krishna's biological mother Devaki standing in the centre of the scene holding the newborn baby on her shoulder whilst bestowing presents upon a crowd of ladies, the two attendants behind her holding two large fabric rolls in their hands similar to the ones Devaki is handing out, in the foreground a lady dispensing ghee to three other girls bringing golden bowls to fill and further golden vessels painted against the brick wall, the scene set in the garden of a white marble palatial complex in tune with Northern Indian architecture, three ravens featuring in the scene, possibly a dark omen hinting at the imminent separation of Devaki from her child, within polychrome-painted and gilt album page borders featuring stylised rosette scrolls on a light blue ground, mounted on a modern brick red cardboard panel, 43cm x 35.5cm including the borders.

Provenance: Purchased from a private collector who previously acquired the painting at Phillip's London, 31 July 1985.

The painting was also previously offered at Christie's South Kensington (London), 22 April 2016, lot 531.

Sold for £1,750

Includes Buyer's Premium


 

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